"Thrash Metal Has No Boundaries..."
The Finnish
Speed/Thrash Metal special (Pt. 1) Featuring interviews with
Deathchain, Divine Decay, Jumalation, Malicious Death, Mokoma,
Pain Confessor, and WhereVictimsLie
Intro and all the interview questions
by Luxi Lahtinen
Do you honestly believe that Thrash Metal as a specific genre, will be
the next big thing in many countries? Keep in mind that some of
the once defunct Thrash Metal acts like Nuclear Assault, Dark Angel, Death
Angel, Exodus, etc., have all made their comebacks and have been currently
working with their new material?
Corpse
(Deathchain): I really hope so and maybe it´s also even
possible. Death Metal is also coming back strongly, and maybe there will
be sort of ´an ultimate throne fight amongst Death Metal bands someday...
he-he! But it´s of course good that Thrash - and Death Metal - is getting
popular all the time because Deathchain is ´Deathrash´, meaning we get
fans from both camps, ha-ha-hah!!
Bobby Undertaker (Deathchain): It can truly be so. In Europe when
Sodom, Destruction and Kreator "came back", it started some sort
of a wave of new Thrash/Death bands. Like you mentioned, those bands from
the States are coming back strongly too. So I think it's fair to say that
Thrash is coming back very strongly and kicking.
Kuisma (Mokoma): I don't have any real opinion about those
re-unionists. Good luck. I understand though why they hibernated through
the dark middle age of Heavy Metal (approx. 1992-97) when Thrash Metal or
metal in general wasn't very trendy like hip hop and post-grunge
alternative rock… for fuck´s sake.
Anthares (Jumalation): I dont think so. But I believe they could do
some very fucking great albums though…
Bilibaldus (Malicious Death): You're funny! I have to disagree on that.
Thrash Metal is just too dirty to rear its ugly head. No media will play
this music. Only if it grows big... I mean if an amazingly huge clan of
fans somehow found it, then it might have some effect on the media. But
that would not be a good thing. You can see what happened to ´Nu-Metal´
genre. Media had their share out of it and now they are forgetting the
whole thing. It happened to Black Metal also. They don't even bother write
if some church burns or if some kids kick tombstones. (huge laughs!!)
Timo (WhereVictimsLie): That might be the case. A few years back Death
Metal started really becoming popular and it got really strong amongst
metalheads, but not ever really "a big trendy thing" which I'm
actually happy about (what I mean with that is that it's now bigger and
keeps on growing constantly which I'm really glad about, but it didn't
turn out to be a completely trendy genre that "everyone had to listen
to" to be cool, or something as stupid like that). Hard to say will
Thrash be the next big thing, but who knows it might just be.
Paul (Divine:Decay): I think the whole Speed/Thrash Metal genre had a
few classic names and a lot of crap, but if those few classic names can
make other "classic" albums, then please welcome!! But I'm more
interested to hear new fresh bands that record their debut albums and I
hope that those younger fellows might even bring out a few good ideas.
Maybe other bands will turn their style more into Speed/Thrash Metal like
Dream Theatre did with their last album TRAIN OF THOUGHT which is an
excellent album from them.
Alec (Divine:Decay): Yeah, I'm really interested to hear how the new
Testament or Death Angel will sound, but with some other bands I
really don´t have any high expectations toward them. Nuclear Assault did
a nice work with their HANDLE WITH CARE album, but the rest is shit. Also,
I have to admit that I have never been a fan of Dark Angel.
Paul (Divine:Decay): Personally I listen to every kind of music if I
like it. No matter if it's Metal, Pop or Rock. But I do hate Reggae…
Alec (Divine:Decay): Yeah, I have a large and wide taste of music, too,
but I heard that our drummer doesn't listen to anything else than
Speed/Thrash Metal which is quite honourable.
Paul (Divine:Decay): Maybe ´Pätkä´ doesn't have any other stuff in
his collection than Speed Metal?
Alec (Divine:Decay): I guess we should buy him a few cool CD´s for the
X-mas…?
Paul (Divine:Decay): No. He would send them to garbage anyway, so it
would be just waste of money.
Pain Confessor: Are any comebacks necessary? Although they are all good
bands, but still it makes me wonder...
Do you sincerely believe that some of these now re-formed
Speed/Thrash acts could even touch the golden and most glorious era of
what they once were when they were gaining massive headlines in
every metal magazine around the globe? Or could it be that some of them
are there just to cash in a little bit on the current trend maybe because
they have noticed that Thrash Metal has become a popular, ´new´
trend amongst even a younger generation of metalheads nowadays, too?
Bilibaldus (Malicious
Death): What, really? Younger generation likes
Thrash, too? Well, I didn't know that. I thought next bigger Metal genre
would be Death Metal ´cause that goes so fast forward and it has amazing
players, too. I really don't know the motives why these bands have
re-formed. I hope they have come back because they believe it's the only
right music for them. I don't think they will get nearly as big as they
were in the golden years.
Thrash Metal as a trend is not possible! Thrash Metal doesn't give
anything to the girls except ugly guys with dirty clothes. In Black Metal
they had make-ups and in ´Nu-Metal´ they had clothes and jumping. But in
Thrash we don't have anything to create a trend from.
Obadio (Malicious Death): Yes, money could have something to do with
these reunions, but I still think it's so cool that they have done it
though. Too bad that these re-unions rarely find their way to Finland.
Kuisma (Mokoma): It's possible if they have remained creative and
enthusiastic about their music and the talent is still there. Otherwise it
could be unbearable to watch as old idols wash their selves down the
drain.
Paul (Divine:Decay): That´s a hard question. I really can't tell what
people think in their minds and honestly I could not give a flying fuck if
some of those bands did this for the money because we all do!!
Alec (Divine:Decay): Yeah, who would pay my rent and booze then if the
fans didn´t buy our records, ha! Seriously we don´t have any answer to
this so you have to ask directly from those bands, but I guess none of
them would give a truthful answer anyway, so… heh!
Paul (Divine:Decay): Yeah ask them and tell us what they said.
Anthares (Jumalation): Hard to say. But let´s say for example
Destruction, which came back with a rage with Schmier in the line-up, is
the best thing that has happened during last years. They are still doing
their stuff with a quality Thrash touch. A stench of money is far away
from what they are doing. But what comes to this popularity thing, some
Thrash bands out there seem to be quite popular like The Haunted and such.
Bobby Undertaker (Deathchain): I really want to hope so, but I don't
think that's gonna happen. But who knows what the future will bring? But
this Nu-´Metal´ shit is the mainstream thing today. Some bands have
really fucked themselves in the ass trying to do something they shouldn't.
Like Metallica, what the fuck happened? They didn't do it for the money,
that's for sure. They were the biggest Metal band on earth and then they
suddenly decided to fuck it all up. And it's for sure that there's no
turning back for them. I don't know. Slayer is the backbone that stays
hard and don't fuck it up. They know what it´s all about. Of course if
Thrash came back again for what it was in it´s prime, that would be
fucking great, of course!!
Corpse (Deathchain): Maybe the biggest wave of popularity with Thrash
Metal was in the 80´s - and those days may never return, but I sure as
fuck hope that it would happen. Many bands have betrayed their Thrash
-roots in a terrible way and they should be fucking ashamed for what they
have done (Metallica, Sepultura etc.). But if Sepultura brought their shit
together, they would be great once again, and play big shows. But I guess
it´s all a plain dream. I don´t think that bands like Destruction,
Kreator and Sodom do their music for the money, they do it from their
fuckin´ hearts.
Simo (WhereVictimsLie): I must keep wondering these re-formed Thrash
Metal acts. Could they offer something new to us or just keep on doing
what they had been doing some ten years ago? All hails for Slayer who have
kept doing and rolling all the time.
Pain Confessor: Man´s gotta do what a man´s gotta do...
Is there still some re-union of some band you personally would like to
see happening some day?
Kuisma (Mokoma): Yep, the 1986 Metallica. I saw my first Metallica gig
1992 and it was already too late. No offence.
Bilibaldus (Malicious Death): Metallica with Burton would be cool.
Those guys are so dead that I hope some day they wake up. There are many
bands that I would like see on stage but I'm not sure if they all have to
do a comeback. I'd like some of those earlier mentioned Finnish legends to
make a comeback.
Obadio (Malicious Death): I'd like to see a Mausoleum festival with
some of the legendary Mausoleum bands like Crossfire, Bloody Six and
Atlain playing live. An Iron Angel or Repulsion reunion would be nice,
too! German top notch acts like Vendetta and Exumer (once again) also come
to my mind…
Bobby Undertaker & Corpse (Deathchain): Old Sepultura in the
"legendary" line-up, pre-jungle period. "We Shall Arise
Again" - tour would be great. Sepultura died when Max left the
band.
Anthares (Jumalation): Hmm… I don´t know... Oz maybe? I am very
worried about what will happen with Celtic Frost, but still believe that
they could also do a good job with their up-coming album titled PROBE.
Tuomas (Pain Confessor): Goatlord…no really... and Metallica would be
cool.
Wesleyer (Pain Confessor): Possessed
Pasi (Pain Confessor): White Zombie
Make (Pain Confessor): No thanks, but if it would happen Dark Angel &
Exodus would be interesting (Heh... obviously you haven´t been following
the current Metal scene with THAT close eyes, haven´t you? - Luxi
comments sarcastically!)
Alec (Divine:Decay): No.
Paul (Divine:Decay): Well, Exodus would be interesting to see and maybe
Forbidden. We were trying to get an open act place for that Death Angel
tour, but unfortunately our touring agency didn't accept our offer so
unfortunately we didn't manage to catch them playing.
Alec (Divine:Decay): I have seen Death Angel playing live two times.
Simo (WhereVictimsLie): Nope. I am too old and skeptical to hope
anything. I just saw Stone few years ago and that was it.
What do you hope that you will achieve with your band within 2 years or
so? In other words, what do you expect the future will bring to your band?
Corpse (Deathchain): Of-fuckin´-corpse a new killer album and I also
hope that European a tour would be possible for us some day. Lots of gigs
and hopefully new fans for Deathchain, too!!!
Bobby Undertaker (Deathchain): A new album and lots of new gigs
everywhere. I hope we get more famous everywhere, especially in the rest
of Europe. And of course I hope that we could become better and better
both as a band and as individual players.
Timo (WhereVictimsLie): I don't really think things like that, like
thinking too much in advance. I don't plan things that carefully, but
hopefully we'll have our first album out in two years from now and have
played a bunch of good gigs. I don't think these kind of things are
impossible to achieve, in fact I'd say that they will very likely
happen.
Paul (Divine:Decay): Well, 2 years is a long time in human life, so
more like 2 months ahead is a more realistic question. We are still trying
to catch a tour for us in the next spring, but then again Alec has his own
thing going on and I have my own things so you'll never know what will
happen within 2 years for us.
Alec (Divine:Decay): Like we said earlier we are making new tracks and
then we have to ask from the owners of our current label Osmose if they
would be interested in releasing our next album, too. If they don´t then
we just have to find a new home. I think we would manage to make another
record on next spring if the record company plans succeeded.
Paul (Divine:Decay): Yeah, the record company issue will affect a lot
of our doings in the near future. If we continued with Osmose we would
have free hands to do music we like. But then again Osmose isn't a very
big label with a lot of money behind them and therefore touring plans seem
always to be under the stone.
Kuisma (Mokoma): Hopefully we will get some kind of an unconditional
reputation as a hard working metal band. We don't need to sell that many
more records so we try to be both feet on the ground all the time. It's so
hard to make any predictions, but however, we try to be honest to
ourselves, remain good drinking buddies and do the kind of music we enjoy.
Anthares (Jumalation): I hope we could have some cool gigs and record
some new stuff successfully (meaning we could be happy with result
ourselves!). And some decent label would release album with us as a vinyl
and stuff…
Pain Confessor: Let's not get psychic here, but of course we want to be
able to make music and play metal. What more could we want (you tell us -
Luxi likes to comment again...)?
Bilibaldus (Malicius Death): I hope to do more gigs. Gigs outside of
Finland would be great. Next album is definitely coming out. What else?
Hmm… a good deal with some label maybe. Even more fun!!
Do you have any advice or tips for younger musicians who would
like to create their own Thrash Metal bands? What should they keep in mind first and foremost if they
want to make an impact
amongst Thrash maniacs and bangers and earn their respect?
Kuisma
(Mokoma): Sit down for a minute and do some thinking. Then drink
some alcoholic beverages (over 18 only). When you get sober, start playing
the kind of music that comes out of you. If you feel happy, go for it.
Pain Confessor: Do what you do and don't listen to a bunch of creeps
like us. But keep the goddamn songs short enough. Boredom is a shitty way
to die.
Anthares (Jumalation): Not really. Just keep your feet on
the ground and do
what you really like! Whatever that is…
Bilibaldus (Malicious Death): Don't expect that you get any money from
this. This you can do only for yourself really.
Obadio (Malicious Death): Only pick good friends to play with you.
Things might get ugly if you start doing this with guys you don't really
get along with. In Malicious Death we have a good sprit and we don't mind
hanging out together in our small and hot rehearsal room.
Bobby Undertaker (Deathchain): I can't really say anything really wise.
Just practice hard and do your own thing. Play whatever you would like to
play and don't try to copy anyone. Don't take shit from anybody and
believe in what you do. Stay true to the music you play. Don't fuck around
and you will gain some respect. Go to different kinds of gigs and learn
from other people and players. You can never practice enough. It's hard to
answer to a question like this since I think I'm a pretty shitty player
anyway.
Corpse (Deathchain): Everything you do, just do it as well as you can.
Always practice hard and have some faith in you because you never know
what can happen. Stay true to your music, and if your music is good, it
will be noticed, that´s for sure.
Timo (WhereVictimsLie): As for any young musician, no matter what they
want to play, I have a few words for you to keep in your mind: Practicing,
dedication, practicing, passion, practicing, practicing and practicing...
that´s all what´s really necessary in order to achieve something for
yourself. Listen to your heart and work hard. That's basically it.
Simo (WhereVictimsLie): The very same advices from me. Since I have
been playing about 15 years thus far, I have never lost my interest of
practicing. Practice, practice and practice one more hour... And still
another hour.
Paul (Divine:Decay): Heh, my first advice: Don´t look to us!! Or just
watch us and I'm sure that you'll never want to be a member of a Speed
Metal band, ha-hah!! Seriously, I don`t think there is any difference
between a casual headbanger and Thrash maniac. They are all dirty and
drunk, so just check your local Heavy Metal bar and try to act like them.
You´ll survive eventually, I can tell you.
Alec (Divine:Decay): Yep, try not to wash your clothes and hair for
weeks and check some old photos from the internet especially the old
(early the 80´s) Metallica and Destruction photos. And if you like to
practice for a pro-musician to play every hardest note on earth, just
forget it!! It takes light-years to complete and within that time you have
already lost all your money into equipments and beer. Well, ´a beer
investment´ is a good thing, but all those gears cost so much. Unless you
don´t have a rich family…
Paul (Divine:Decay): So basically talk dirty and act like you could be
drunk all the time so you'll be just fine… RESPECT!!
READ
ON...
(for the conclusion of this massive feature...)
